two-part tariff


Two-Part Tariff

A set fee assessed with a purchase along with a per-unit charge. For example, a credit card carries a two-part tariff if it has an annual fee and a minimum fee with each purchase. A two-part tariff is not necessarily an import tariff.

two-part tariff

see TARIFF.

two-part tariff

a pricing method that involves a charge per unit of GOOD or SERVICE consumed, plus a fixed annual or quarterly charge to cover overhead costs. Two-part tariffs can be used by PUBLIC UTILITIES or firms to achieve the benefits of MARGINAL-COST PRICING while raising sufficient revenues to cover all outlays (so avoiding a deficit and problems of financing it). Simple two-part tariffs are presently used to charge customers for gas, electricity telephones, etc., although more sophisticated multipart tariffs can be adopted to reflect the different marginal costs involved in offering products like electricity and transport services at peak and off-peak periods. See also AVERAGE-COST PRICING, NATIONALIZATION, PEAK-LOAD PRICING.